Education

Albert Shanker was so dedicated to public education that, in order to preserve and improve it, he dared to expose its weaknesses and point the way to its transformation. As president of the American Federation of Teachers, Shanker introduced innovative education reform ideas into the national debate. The Albert Shanker Institute continues this legacy by promoting discussions and sponsoring research on new and workable approaches to improving public education in America.

Latest Publications

Does Money Matter in Education?

Over the past few years, due to massive budget deficits, governors, legislators and other elected officials are having to slash education spending. As a result, incredibly, there are at least 30 states in which state funding for 2011 is actually lower than in 2008. In some cases, including California, the amounts are over 20 percent [...]

Policy Brief: The Evidence on Charter Schools and Test Scores

Charter schools are among the most controversial issues in education today, with much of the debate focused on whether they produce better testing results than comparable regular public schools. Too often, these discussions either rely on a tiny handful of studies, or on raw, cross-sectional testing results, which are not valid measures of school effects. [...]

Pre-School Curriculum: What’s In It for Children and Teachers

In the early childhood years, children are eager to understand more about the world. Indeed, pre-kindergarten (pre-K) learning experiences disciplines such as mathematics and science, can help to build the skills, knowledge, and attitudes that prepare young children for future academic success. Download the report